[NTT DoCoMo and Acrodea form business aliance allowing Acrodea products including its VIVID UI middleware to be embedded into FOMA handsets. ]

NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today that it will form a business and capital alliance with Acrodea, Inc., a maker of software technologies for mobile-phone user interfaces. The agreement, which will result in Acrodea products being embedded in DoCoMo handsets for heightened functionality, user friendliness and user enjoyment, will also strengthen the efficiency of DoCoMo's handset-development process, as well as enhance the partners' overall existing relationship.

DoCoMo will acquire 4,500 newly allocated shares valued at 1.8 billion yen, or 402,220 yen per share, accounting for about 5.7% of Acrodea's outstanding shares. DoCoMo expects to complete the share acquisition by March 13. In addition, DoCoMo has requested that JAIC Advanced-Tech No.1 Venture Capital Investment, L.P., of which DoCoMo is a limited partner, transfer 2,800 of its Acrodea shares to DoCoMo by around the end of March, as soon as the necessary approval is authorized by the general partner.

The two transactions will leave DoCoMo with an approximate 9.26% stake in Acrodea, and the DoCoMo Group a combined approximate 13.06% stake, including the 3,000 shares in Acrodea held by DoCoMo.com, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary.

Acrodea's main product, VIVID UI middleware, is used in Kisekae Tool(TM), a feature for customizing screen layouts, calendars and other content in FOMA(TM) 905i Series handsets and other models. DoCoMo first began using VIVID UI in 2006 and started licensing the middleware from Acrodea in August 2007.

* i-mode, FOMA and Kisekae Tool are trademarks or registered trademarks of NTT DoCoMo, Inc. in Japan and other countries.

** NTT DoCoMo's FOMA service is only available to subscribers in Japan.